FOREWORD This leader guide has been developed to assist you in your role of helping members help themselves toward self-reliance. There are great needs among us. Many lack the ability to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family (Handbook 2:6.1.1). Our modern-day prophets have counseled: Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle (Thomas S. Monson, quoting Marion G. Romney, Ensign, Sep. 1986, 2). Bringing people to self-reliance is the work of salvation. Each of us has been invited to rescue and to hasten the work of salvation. How can you assist? Through His Church, the Lord is now providing powerful new tools, resources, and processes. The success these tools and resources bring will depend on your involvement and commitment. Use this guide to help you understand what is required of you. Today, we invite you to take the time to learn your duty and to act in the office in which [you are] appointed, in all diligence (D&C 107:99). Read together in your councils and leadership meetings about each individual responsibility. Watch and discuss the videos on page 4. Resolve to make a commitment to magnify this call to serve. As you seek and act with faith in our Lord, the Holy Ghost will guide you. As you unitedly work with those in need, the Lord will bless you collectively and cause you to be His instrument in hastening of His work of salvation and in lifting the poor and needy. Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah 2014 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. English approval: 9/13. PD50051778
OVERVIEW The Lord has called all of us to hasten the work of salvation. Salvation requires both temporal and spiritual self-reliance (Handbook 2:6.1.1). Leaders are to help members help themselves become self-reliant. This Leader Guide outlines your priesthood leader duties and new resources (see page 2) that can help you rescue the poor and needy, both temporally and spiritually. More information is available online at srs.lds.org. PRIESTHOOD LEADER RESPONSIBILITIES Stake Presidencies (or District Presidencies) 1. Define self-reliance objectives for the stake 2. Organize a stake self-reliance committee 3. Teach the stake council self-reliance committee to understand and perform their duties 4. Invite all returning missionaries to participate in self-reliance activities 5. Include self-reliance on the stake council agenda 6. Provide guidance for the family history center to be shared for self-reliance purposes as needed Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. THOMAS S. MONSON, Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare, Ensign, September 1986, 3 Stake Council Self-Reliance Committee The stake council self-reliance committee (see Handbook 1:5.1.1; 2:15.3.2) includes the following individuals: stake presidency counselor (chair), high councilor assigned to self-reliance, stake Relief Society president, bishops welfare council chairman, and stake self-reliance specialist (secretary). Optional participants may include: stake young men/young women presidents, additional stake specialists, senior full-time missionaries. 1. Develop and monitor a self-reliance action plan for the stake 2. Offer regular My Path to Self-Reliance devotionals (see page page 4) 3. Organize and staff a stake self-reliance center 4. Teach all ward leaders their self-reliance duties 5. Utilize resources and services developed by PEF Self-Reliance Services 6. Help ensure the participation of returning missionaries in self-reliance activities. 1
Stake Self-Reliance Specialist 1. Help register members at srs.lds.org/register. 2. Study and follow principles found online at srs.lds.org/ facilitator. 3. Monitor, support and facilitate self-reliance groups Be sure not to act as a classroom teacher. Follow the course material and encourage all to participate. Arrange the self-reliance group meeting place(s) and set up the room(s) each week. 4. Order materials for self-reliance centers as needed. Bishoprics (or Branch Presidencies) 1. Teach ward members to be self-reliant (see back cover). 2. Direct self-reliance efforts through the ward council: Identify, number, and invite all needy members to become self-reliant. Update the Adult Member Self-Reliance report each quarter at leader.lds.org. Through quorum and auxiliary leaders, provide support, mentors, and assistance to those in need. There is no new organization necessary to take care of the needs of this people. All that is necessary is to put the priesthood of God to work. HAROLD B. LEE, Admonitions for the Priesthood of God, Ensign, Jan. 1973, 104 3. Call ward self-reliance specialists to facilitate groups as needed. 4. Seek additional assistance from the stake self-reliance committee as necessary. RESOURCES Self-Reliance Centers Stakes are encouraged to establish self-reliance centers in a Church building, often sharing a location with a family history center. Self-reliance centers are staffed by missionaries and volunteers and provide Internet access, mentoring, and other helpful resources to job seekers, the self-employed, and prospective students. Self-Reliance Groups A self-reliance group meeting uses a council model and is different from most Church classes, lessons, or workshops. There are no teachers or trainers. Instead, a group facilitator assists members as they counsel together, learn together, mentor each other, commit to act on what they are learning, and hold each other accountable for commitments. This group mentoring and There is no problem in the family, ward or stake that cannot be solved if we look for solutions in the Lord s way by counseling really counseling with one another. M. RUSSELL BALLARD, Counseling with Our Councils, rev. ed. (2012), 4 2
counseling process, together with the workbooks and videos, creates a dynamic learning environment that strengthens each member in their development of a self-reliant life. Stake or ward leaders call self-reliance specialists to organize and facilitate self-reliance groups. Group facilitators will need occasional access to the Internet and a way to show videos in group meetings. Leaders may form as many groups as needed. Each group meets at least twelve times for two hours each session and consists of 8 to 14 members. Groups can meet in stake self-reliance centers, Church buildings, or appropriate locations convenient for the members. Local leaders determine which of the following groups are needed in their units. 1. Starting and Growing My Business groups help people start or improve their own business. These groups replace The Self-Employment Workshop. 2. My Job Search groups help people find new or better work. These groups replace The Career Workshop. 3. Education for Better Work groups help people identify an educational path to increase their income. These groups replace Planning for Success. As part of each course, members will also study twelve doctrinally oriented lessons on self-reliance from the manual My Foundation: Principles, Skills, Habits. Preferred Resource Lists and Church Employee Support The Church employs people in each area to assist the self-reliance effort. These include an area self-reliance manager (ASRM), a self-reliance operations manager, and self-reliance services managers. These managers help coordinate the needs and challenges of the stake self-reliance centers and provide stakes with resources and training. These resources include mentors, lists of preferred schools, local job opportunities, and names of financing organizations for capital to start businesses. Self-Reliance Website More information for leaders and members is available online at srs.lds.org. 3
My Path to Self-Reliance Devotional Stakes or wards hold regular My Path to Self-Reliance devotionals. This devotional starts members on the path to self-reliance by helping them understand the doctrinal importance of self-reliance, assess their current level of self-reliance, determine the skills and income needed to become temporally self-reliant, and select the self-reliance group that will help them reach that goal. The My Path to Self-Reliance workbook facilitates this process. See srs.lds.org for more information. Training Videos Watch the following videos online at srs.lds.org/videos AUDIENCE Priesthood Leader VIDEO TITLE The Stake Self-Reliance Committee Stake Self-Reliance Committee Meeting Training Self-Reliance Specialists Helping Ward Councils Forming Self-Reliance Groups Group Facilitator How to: Prepare How to Facilitate a Group How to Lead: My Foundation How to Lead: Report How to Lead: Learn How to Lead: Ponder How to Lead: Commit How to: Manage Meetings Go and Do Learning My Purpose Feedback Welcomed Please send your ideas, feedback, suggestions and experiences to srsfeedback@ldschurch.org. 4
Group Materials Materials, videos, and training are online at srs.lds.org or can be ordered from Church distribution centers. My Path to Self-Reliance My Foundation: Principles, Skills, Habits My Path to Self-Reliance Helps members determine their level of self-reliance, including the amount of income needed to be temporally self-reliant. Their skills and interests will help them select which group to attend. My Foundation: Principles, Skill, Habits Essential spiritual principles of self-reliance that are taught as part of the self-employment, job search and education courses described below. Starting and Growing My Business Starting and Growing My Business Teaches participants key business principles for self-employment like record keeping, marketing, and cash management. Helps them create or improve a functioning business. My Job Search My Job Search Teaches participants to identify opportunities, network, present themselves powerfully, answer interview questions, and excel on the job. Education for Better Work Education for Better Work Teaches potential students how to identify a preferred job that will help them become self-reliant. It helps them find the preferred school or training program (including Pathway) that leads to their ideal job. Those group members that complete the courses My Foundation and Starting and Growing My Business may be eligible to receive a certificate from LDS Business College. 5
12 PRINCIPLES OF For more detail, refer to the self-reliance manual My Foundation: Principles, Skills, Habits. 1. EXERCISE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST (Doctrine and Covenants 104:15) 2. USE TIME WISELY (Alma 34:32) 3. BE OBEDIENT (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20 21) 4. MANAGE MONEY (Doctrine and Covenants 104:78) 5. WORK: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY (Doctrine and Covenants 42:42; 2 Nephi 2:16, 26) 6. SOLVE PROBLEMS (Ether 2:18 19, 23; 3:1, 4) 7. BECOME ONE, WORK TOGETHER (Moses 7:18; Doctrine and Covenants 104:15 17) 8. COMMUNICATE: PETITION AND LISTEN (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2) 9. PERSEVERE (Hebrews 12:1; Doctrine and Covenants 58:4) 10. SHOW INTEGRITY (Mosiah 4:28; Job 27:5; Articles of Faith 1:13) 11. SEEK LEARNING, EDUCATION (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 119) 12. STAY ON TASK, RECEIVE ORDINANCES (Doctrine and Covenants 84:20; Doctrine and Covenants 136:4; 1 Nephi 18:2 3)